I have been overweight for most of my life. Every time I've embarked on a new weight-loss mission, I've back-slid and ended up heavier than before.

Hopefully this time, things will be different.

In October, 2012, I conquered a big fear of mine: learning to drive. Scoring that victory gave me the sort of confidence I haven't felt in a long time. So I told all my family and friends that my next big goal was to lose weight. But it took me a long time to actually do it. ...

I have been overweight for most of my life. Every time I've embarked on a new weight-loss mission, I've back-slid and ended up heavier than before.

Hopefully this time, things will be different.

In October, 2012, I conquered a big fear of mine: learning to drive. Scoring that victory gave me the sort of confidence I haven't felt in a long time. So I told all my family and friends that my next big goal was to lose weight. But it took me a long time to actually do it.

I knew all the reasons why I wanted to be fit, but my resolve would crumble as soon as I got hungry. The cycle of good-intentions / diet / binge-eating / self-loathing continued.

Fortunately for me, I stumbled upon a documentary called "Hungry for Change" at my friend Karen's house. It talks about how certain foods are engineered to get consumers addicted to them, why many diets fail, and what little steps we can take to get back to a healthy place. Thanks to their advice, I finally could see a way out.

I started to eat more salads and cut out the sodas. I dropped some pounds quickly, and was off to a very successful start. But instead of making the change gradually, I over-corrected by starting to eat ONLY salads. It wasn't a sustainable plan. Soon my old cravings, excuses and habits caught up with me.

Then Karen came right out and gave me some tough love.

We were discussing my failed attempts at online dating, and she stopped me in my tracks.

Karen: "In order to date, you should be happy. Are you happy ?"

Me: "No. I'm actually miserable"

Karen: "Then I think you need to concentrate on getting to a happy place. And I think that a big part of that is weight loss, because we've talked about it so many times, so I know you'll feel better when you start dropping the pounds"

This was Karen's intervention. She had been a patient friend all this time, but it was clear that she was taking a stand. She wasn't going to supply any more sympathy if I wasn't going to put in the work.

That did it.

I assessed what I needed to succeed. I've always tried to lose the weight on my own, but always ran out of motivation after a few weeks, gave in to intense cravings, then overate to comfort myself, and inevitably ballooned past my starting weight. This time, I admitted that I needed help. Clearly, I couldn't do it on my own.

I signed up at the gym and have been working out with a personal trainer. I am not an exercise fanatic by A-N-Y means, so having someone there to guide me, push me, and ease me into the habit of exercising really helps.

Personal Training is an expensive option, but I think that after 30 years of weight-related misery, the goal is worth the sacrifice. I have fantasized about a life where I'm fit. Perhaps this time I will get to actually live it.

If you're reading this, please feel free to comment, ask questions, or even give me a firm (but gentle ! ) nudge if it seems that I am going off-track. I might find just the right amount of motivation and inspiration in what you have to say.

To my fellow travelers on this journey, I truly wish us good luck. I know how hard it is, and I hope that no matter how far we get in this fight, we find true happiness.

My Program:
Strength Training: ------------------------- 3 Sessions/week with a Personal Trainer at the local gym.

Cardio: ----------- Initially: no cardio for a few months, then swimming for a month. Hit a plateau : Started Stair master twice a day (Trainer's recommendation). Then: Stair Master in the morning (fasted cardio) and C25K training in the afternoon (or stationary bike on Leg strength training days). Now: 30 mins of cardio/day (Stair Master or Treadmill)